The Gift Dilemma
by Akela Victoire
Summary: Eloise is having problems coming up with a gift for her mum's birthday. Her friend Anthony offers to help her with her dilemma.


"Urgh! I can't do this. I can't!" Eloise Midgen nearly slammed her head into the desk and dropping the quill in her hand in her frustration, looking almost as if she was ready to cry.

She looked around the library to see if anyone had seen her bout of frustration, but luckily, they didn't seem to.

 _Good._

"What is it that you can't do?" a voice said, its owner stepping out from behind a nearby shelf.

 _"And there goes that thought..."_ Eloise thought. "Hello Anthony. Come to do a bit of weekend reading?"

Anthony Goldstein shook his head. "I've already taken out the books I need to finish my homework and it's already almost finished. No, I came looking for _you..._ "

Eloise sat up straighter, surprised.

"Looking... for _me?_ Why?" she asked.

"Well, we're friends, aren't we? Went to the Yule Ball together and all that?" Anthony shrugged. "I've not seen you at all today, except at meals, so I asked Padma if she'd seen you. She told me you'd be here doing some research and, well, here I am..."

"Well, if you're going to stay here and bother me, you might as well have a seat..." she patted the seat next to her, smiling slightly.

Anthony sat. "So, what exactly is it that you're working on? Can I help?"

"I don't know... It's about my mum. Her birthday is on the fourth of February and I have no idea what I should get her. My family isn't extremely wealthy, but she has everything she could ever want. So, I thought I'd create a personalised gift for her, but I'm rather pants at Transfiguration and Potions... I tried brewing a vanilla scented perfume for her, but, well..." Eloise trailed off.

"But _what?_ " Anthony pressed.

"The _perfume_... was supposed to be a cream colour with flecks of brown. Instead it was apple green when I finished it, it exploded on me _and_ even after four or five castings of _Scourgify_ and a good wash, the rotten cheese smell still didn't come off. Obviously it wasn't safe to send to her. It could have made her- or me even- ill..." Eloise sighed, looking rather sorry for herself. "I just feel awful. I can't do this anymore..."

"What were you reading there?" Anthony gently slid the magazine from beneath her elbow and looked at the cover. "Transfiguration Today? That's one of my favourite publications!"

"It is?" Eloise perked up. "You're good at Transfiguration then?"

"My favourite subject," Anthony nodded.

"Oh great! Can you help me with the gift then? I still want to try at least one more time before I just give up and send her a card..."

"I'll be glad to help you, Eloise..." Anthony stood up and offered her a hand.

Minutes later, they found an empty classroom.

"They say magic is a matter of knowledge and while that's true, it's also about power, will and concentration. Look," Anthony picked up a brick he'd found in there.

Tapping it with his wand, he focused on it for a few seconds.

It turned into a simple box.

"It's not much, but that's just an example. I advise you to focus on what you want it to become. Just _imagine_ it, Eloise." Anthony changed the box back.

"Come on then," he took her wand hand in hers and held it steady. "All you need is a bit of confidence. _Willpower._ What do you want to give your mum now?" he asked.

"Well, she does like jewellery boxes. Perhaps a really pretty personalised one? One that I know will suit her tastes exactly?" Eloise felt his hand close around hers and a chill went down her spine.

It was a good one though. She wouldn't mind feeling it again...

She shook her head, clearing it.

 _"Focus, Eloise. Focus. Anthony said that part of it was concentration. You're not concentrating at all..."_ she told herself.

"Okay..." Eloise closed her eyes, picturing a white box, green vines carved onto it and little pink flowers on the vines. The box had a yellow clasp and yellow stands, which looked like the vines.

She described it to Anthony.

"Sounds pretty," Anthony nodded. "Now, _concentrate_ on that brick becoming that beautiful jewellery box."

Eloise concentrated, and felt the power rush from her wand and towards the brick.

When she opened her eyes, a jewellery box that was exactly how she imagined it lay on the desk.

"Oh wow." she gasped. "I did it. I actually did it!" she squealed in excitement.

She turned around, planting a rather enthusiastic kiss right on Anthony's lips.

 _"Oh..."_ Eloise's eyes widened. "Oh no. _Merlin..._ Anthony! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"I don't mind, Eloise..." Anthony smiled. "If this is what helping you out gets me, I don't mind at all..."

* * *

For the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Competition on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum Year 2 Herbology class. Prompts used are below:

Emotion: Sorry

Colour: Apple Green

Spell: Scourgify

Adjective: Finish

Action: Cry

Date: February 4

Sentence: I just feel awful.

Dialogue: I can't do this anymore.

Upper Word Limit: 800

Extracurricular (Xylomancy): wash, safe, ill, quill, library, advise


End file.
